"THE WOUNDS OF WAR TAKE A LONG TIME TO HEAL"

Distinguished guests of the Second International Conference of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin,

My name is Rosemarie Hoehn-Mizo, I am the President of the International Committee for the Vietnam Friendship Village. I am also the widow of George Mizo, a US veteran of the Vietnam war who died from the consequences of Agent Orange in 2002.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to VAVAfor the invitation to this conference. I feel very honoured to be here with all of you today. I am not here just for myself, I am repre­senting and bringing to you the support of all of the members of our committees in Canada, Germany, France, Japan and the USA and many, many caring and committed people.

The 50th anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster brings to our mind the pain and suffering of so many families - in Vietnam and in many other countries who have been involved in that war.

I am the widow of George Mizo, a US veteran of the Vietnam war who died from the consequences of Agent Orange in 2002. My husband had been a healthy young man when he went to Vietnam in 1967 believing his own government at that time. He came back from Vietnam being wounded, feeling betrayed and lied to about the real reasons for this war and not knowing yet that the war would continue in his body with the effects of Agent Orange /Dioxin until he died.

His deep desire for reconciliation and healing made him come back to Vietnam with the vision of creating a project for peace for the victims of war.. .veterans and children who are suffering from the consequences of war and Agent Orange. The Vietnamese government warmly welcomed and supported this idea, the Vietnam Veterans Association was and is the most helpful partner in the realisation of this project, many, many people in the different national committees raised funds and thus helped to build the Friendship Village and created awareness about Agent Orange. The newly created George-Mizo- Foundation will help to support this work on a long term base.

This way, in the past 13 years the Friendship Village has cared for more than 3000 war veterans and more than 500 disabled children from 34 different provinces. The medical care, the rehabilitation, the special education for disabled children, the organic gardening and the classes for professional education have given these victims of Agent Orange help and support and a chance to reintegrate in their communities.

But also- and this is the place to say thank you to all the children, young people and veterans in the Friendship Village- they have helped to make people aware of the problems of Agent Orange. With their courage to welcome visitors and to show and to talk about their pain and their suffering they are fulfilling a very important task: they let the world know about Agent Orange and its consequences and the continuing need for help and support.

In my heart 1 carry what my husband George Mizo called "his message": You can make a difference...each and every one of US...we can contribute our little piece to make the world a better place...we can speak out for the victims of Agent Orange and work together for helping to give them and their families the best possible care and a future.

I think that George's biggest joy - in spite of all of his personal pain and suffering - was to see that the Friendship Village has become a reality...that there is a place where healing, hope, reconciliation and help for disabled children and veterans are possible. I warmly invite you to visit the Friendship Village whenever it is possible for you.

Today, at this 50 th anniversary, I share with you the pain and the suffering from the war and Agent Orange, but I am convinced that we can make a difference.

Again, I thank VAVA for this invitation because I feel together as an international community we have a voice and we are strong.

We have a responsibility ... to be silent, but to speak out..... but not only to speak, but to act................................................................................. not only to act, but to work together internationally to create help, hope and justice for the children, the veterans, the families, the environment and the coming generations in Vietnam.

Thank you

Rosemarie Hoehn-Mizo (Germany)

President, ICVFV